Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lZ31~30
1 MAKING A WAVE GUIDE
3 BACKGROUND OF THE INYENTION
The present invention relates to the making of a wave
6 guide conductor which includes elements projecting into the
7 interior oE such a conductor such as short-circuiting pins,
8 trimming screws, and the like, whereby particularly the
9 adjustment and positioning of such projecting elements is
determined first and the attained position is then retained
11 through appropriate securing steps such as soldering.
12
13 The United States Patent 3,864,~88 discloses a wave
14 guide constructed as a tube and having two inputs separated
axially from each other for feeding electromagnetic waves into
16 the interior of the wave guide. In order to rotate one of these
17 waves by 90, the patent suggests that a plurality of
l short-circuiting pins are inserted in the. wall. Such a wave
19 ¦ guide has been manufactured in the past in that feeds for the
20 1 short-circuiting pins were machined into the tube and the pins
21 ¦ were subsequently fitted therein. This procedure is
22 ¦ disadvantaged by the fact that it is not sufficiently accurate
23 ¦ for many instances of wave guide construction. Moreover 9 it was
24 ¦ found that many parts made rather tediously in such a manner had
to be discarded subsequently anyway.
27
28
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3L~,3~330
1 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
3 It is an object of the present invention to provide a
4 new and improved method for making a wave guide in which certain
components are provided for projecting into the interior of the
wave guide with very accurate relative positioning in relation to
7 each other t whereby moreover the method is to be carried out in
8 an economical fashion.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
11 ¦ present invention, it is suggested to proceed as follows. A
12 ¦ template or master die is provided in which the seats to be made
13 are represented in the form of metallic inserts (fittings) having
14 suitable bores. The surface of this die or teMplate is
rendered electrically conductive and inserted into an
16 electrolytic bath wherein it is connected to serve as a cathode
17 for electroplating metal thereon whereby the added metallic parts
18 become plated into the hollow conductor wall. Subsequently, the
19 die is removed -from the wave guide as made and the particular
2~ components which are to project into the interior of the wave
21 guide are now inserted into these sets and secured thereto.
22 They are now positioned as aoe~r~te as one can establish the
23 seats in the master die and the accuracy thereof is, of course,
24 determined by the accuracy of the template and die member
employed in the process. This way, one reproduces wave guides
26 with reproducible properties and they do no require subsequent
228 ; finishing work, so that testing and trimming and other adjustment
1 _3_
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I operations Jan be reduced to a minimum or may, in part, be
superfluous
23
26
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1 In accordance with a further teature of the invention,
2 the metallic parts (fittings) which are to receive those parts
3 that will project into the interior of the wave guide tube to be
4 made, are fastened by pins, bolts or the like in that they are
inserted into the surface of the die and template member through
6 suitable guidance or positioning elements therein. These pins
7 and bolts now secure these inserted fittings to the die, so that
8 the inserts will become accurately positioned in the wave guide
9 to be made, and these inserts will be accurately positioned seats
for pins etc., later inesrted in the seats as components for the
11 wave guide. Due to an accurate fix. the parts that are to
12 project into the interior of the wave guide will not shift during
13 subsequent operations.
14
In furtherance of the invention, it is suggested to take
16 particular precautions with regard to the point that surface
17 portions of inserts which are facing away prom the respective
18 interfacing surfaces between the fittings and the die surface
19 should be covered with an electrically nonconductive material.
The purpose thereof is that during the electrolytic procedure,
21 metal should not be deposited on these parts. Therefore, any
22 deposition will occur here on electrically nonconductive material
23 and wili be removed therewith subsequently.
24
In order to avoid that electrolytic fluid can penetrate
26 any gaps between any metallic fitting and the die member, it is
28 suggested that the insert parts are firmly clamped to the surface
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~3~33C)
1 of the dle and template manner. This particular step avoids any
2 difficulties that may be encountered otherwise with regard to the
3 removal of the die and template member from the completed wave
4 guideO
6 It is of particular advantage generally to thread
7 threaded bolts into appropriately threaded bores in the surface
8 of the die and template member so that the metallic inserts which
9 are later to hold the parts which will protrude into the wave
guide interior can be placed onto these threaded bolts and
1' clamped thereto, e.g. by means of a threaded nut to thereby
12 attach them firmly to the surface of the die and template rnember.
13 The penetration of electrolytic fluid can be avoided with
14 advantage in that the surface of the metallic insert holder)
parts facing the die and template member match the surface of
16 that member to a very high degree so that the various parts abut
17 in a planar configuration. The metallic insert parts should have
18 a cross section which is nearly trapezoidal, whereby the larger
19 ones of the two parallel or near parallel sides is affixed to the
die and template member. This way, it i5 insured that the
21 metallic part that is to be inserted into the wave guide member
22 as a holder will be secured thereto without the formulation of
23 hollows, cavities or other defects.
24
25 ¦ The invention, moreover, refers specifically to the
226 construction and configuration of the die and template member as
28 an integral part for carrying out the method. It is particularly
1i~31~330
1 suggested here that those components of the die member yenerally
2 which are to mount the components which in turn will project into
the interior of the wave guide are inserted in the die member
4~ through suitable positioning or mounting elements and thus
5~ mountiny elements will not project beyond the surface of the die
61 and template member. It is of particular advantage here that
7~ these mounting elements are threaded into guide sleeves which in
8l turn are inserted into the die and template member through a
9¦ sel~-cutting outer threading. It has to be observed here that
the die and template member is preferably made of a synthetic
2 ¦ material, for example, of polymetacrylic ester so that it is
¦ comparatively simple to obtain a threading through a self-cutting
13 ¦ thread of an inserting part.
14 l
15 ¦ It can thus be seen that the invention distinguishes
16 ¦ among the following elements and components. First, there is a
17 ¦ die member, basically of cylindrical or rectangular configuration
18 ¦ such that its outer surface delineates the internal contour of
19 ¦ the wave guide to be made. This member has lateral or other
bores and self-cutting threaded sleeves are threadedly inserted
21 ¦ therein. These sleeves will receive (threadedly) positioning
22 members for inserts serving as fittings. These sittings are
223 I bolted (temporarily) to the positioning members. All this is is
¦ assembled prior to electroplating. Once the inserts are embedded
25 ¦ in the plating layer that is generated on top of the die and
27 template member, the die member with inserted threaded sleeves
28 and posi-tioning members can be withdrawn to thereby open up the
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~2~ 0
interior of the hollow wave guide just made. Now pins or the
like are inserted into the embedded fittings as permanent in-
stallations to project into the wave guide for wha-tever purpose
that is desired.
It should be mentioned that the above mentioned United
States Patent 3,864,688 suggests particular wave guide compon-
ents to be made. The inventive method is particularly advan-
tageously applicable -to the making of such parts, but in a simpler
manner. In order to make parts of the type disclosed in this
reference it was found advisable to provide a die and template
member which includes at least three parts. Of these three parts,
there is a middle or center part with a rectangular or round
cross section cooperating with at least two rectangular or
elliptically cross sectioned parts which are arranged parallel to
each other and to the surface of the middle or central part in
a releasable manner. The longitudinal axes of these lateral
parts extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the middle
part.
This kind of an arrangement permits particularly uni-
formity in the manufacture of the desired component through a
reusable template and die member and the reusability is directly
contributory to the uniformity of the parts that are being made.
This involves particularly questions of orientation of the com-
ponents to be made with regard to the feeding of waves into the
wave guide once it has been made. The reusability and repro-
duceability of the result is -therefore directly contributory
Lo
to optimizing these requirements. After the wave guide element
and member has been made through an electrolytical process,
the parts will be separated from each other as will be explained
more fuily below and the separated die member parts are sequen-
tially pulled out of the completed component. After reassembly,
they can be again inserted into the electrolytic bath for another
coating step which, of course, means the production of another
wave guide having exactly the same dimensions and internal orien-
tations as the one which has been previously made.
It is of advantage here to provide the die member or
die member assembly such that a basically rectangular part is
connected to the front of the middle part and another rectangular
part is connected to the cylindrical periphery of the central
part whereby the long side of the latter rectangular part runs
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical center part
and the first mentioned part which is connected to the front end
of the middle die member has its long side as seen in cross
section arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the
central die part.
If the middle part of a tri-partite die and template
lZ31830
1 member has a round cross section it is of advantage that the
2 supplemental die parts connected to its outer periphery has a
3 curvature which meshes the curvature of this cylindrical middle
4 part and there should be at least one indexing pin traversing the
interface by means of which the two parts can be indexed to each
6 other. Here, it is of particular advantage to provide such an
7 indexing pin in the rectangular supplemental part which is
8 inserted in a suitable guide and bore in the middle part.
9 Moreover, this rectangular part should be clamped by means of a
bolt to the cylindrical part, the bolt Jo be inserted into a
11 central bore of the rectangular part that is connected to the
12 peripheral surface of the cylindrical part while suitable
13 threaded bore between or next to the guides is provided in order
14 to accomodate this indexing bolt or pin. Again, this is a
feature by means of which it is prevented that electrolytic fluid
16 can penetrate any gap between die member parts and posits metal
18 thereat, which of course would impede easy removal of the die and
template member and components thereof after the wave guiae has
19 been completed. The indexing pins and the guide and bores
provided for them make sure, moreover, that the parts can all be
21 reassembled in exactly the same configuration as originally
22 ¦ contemplated while on the other hand separation ox these die and
23 template member components is facilitated.
24 l
25¦ The fastening of the other supplemental rectangular part
26 of the front end of the middle die component is carried out in a
231 similar manner, however, one uses here a threaded bolt which
l -10-
~L~3~33~
traversesthe particular rectangular part. This particular
fea-ture can be utilized further in that the free end of this
threaded bolt that projects :Erom the rectangular part is fur-
nished with an annular metallic part which in turn is then
clamped by means of a nut to the rectangular part from which the
threaded pin projects. This metallic part is now inserted in
the plating process and will serve, for example, as a guide for
a trim screw or a threaded bolt in the completed wave guide.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the free end of
any rectangular part should be provided with a flange which is
also subjected to the electroplating procedure, these flanges
now made integral with the wave guide proper facilitate the
connection of the particular electromagnetie wave guide to other
parts.
The invention may be summarized, aeeording to a first
broad aspect asamethod of making a wave guide with components
which will extend into the interior of the wave guide comprising
the steps of: providing a cylindrical die and template member;
releasably fastening fittings whiehhave in eross-seetion a
txapezoidal eontour and whieh have bores, to the die member at
particular locations of the die member, these fittings as well
as the surface of the die member being electrically conduetive;
inserting the thus assembled die into an eleetrolytie bath and
connecting it to assume cathodic potential so as to obtain
electrolytic plating and depositing whereby the fittings beeome
embedded into the wall of the thus electrolytically generated
part; removing the die from the eleetrolytically generated part;
~;~3~33~
and inserting pins into the bores of the embedded fittings to
reach into the interior of the hollow wave guide thus made.
According to a second broad aspect, the invention
comprises a die and templa-te member for use in an electrolytic
plating and manufacturing process for making a wave guide, the
die and template member having a particular surface and com-
prising a plurality of mounting members inserted in said die
member and not projecting beyond the surface thereof; pin means
respectively inserted in said mounting members and projecting
beyond the surface of the die member; and fitting members placed
onto said pin means and being fastened to the die member to be
partially embedded in the electrolytically generated walls for
the wave guide to be made.
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1 Z31830
1 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2 _ _ _
3 While the specification concludes with claims
4 particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject
matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed that
6 the invention, the objects and features of the invention, and
8 further object features and advantages therteof will better
understood prom the following description taken in connection the
9 accompanying drawing in which:
11 Figure 1 is a cross section through a die and template
12 member constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of
13 the present invention for practicing the inventive process and
method in a best mode configuration whereby the Figure
illustrates in a partitioned manner different states in the
16 operation; the left hand portion of Figure l shows the situation
17 of the die and template member prior to the electroplating
18 process and the right hand portion illustrates the almost
29 completed electrogalvanic process, the die and template member
O being just about ready for removal;
22
Figure 2 illustrates a top view of the right hand
23 portion of Figure l; and
24
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate side views partially in
27 section of wave guide die members to be used in accordance with
28 the present invention under utilization of appropriately
` ~23~L830
1 contoured and positioned die and template members which are
constructed in order to suit the particular situation and
3 requirement in the process to be performed.
Proceeding now to the detailed description of the
6 drawings, the Figures show, particularly Figure l, a die member l
7 which is to be made of cylindrical contour and thus establishes
8 basically the internal contour of the wave guide to be made which
9 in this case will be circularly round. Alternatively, the
cross section could be elliptical, rectangular or square shaped.
11 ¦ This particular die member is made preferably made from
12 I polymetacryl ester. The particular die member 1 is provided with
13 ¦ a plurality of cylindrical bores 2 in accordance with the
14 ¦ requirements of the product to be made.
16 Threadea sleeves 3 are inserted into these bores whereby
17 particular these sleeves 3 are provided with a self-cutting outer
18 threading so that upon insertion of such a sleeve 3, the bores 2
19 are provided in-addition with a nut-like threading. On the other
hand, each of the sleeves 3 is provided with an internal
21 threading and therefore fitting and positioning members 4 can be
22 threadably inserted into these sleeves 3. These positioning
23 members 4 should, as far as their outer surfaces are concerned,
24 be flush with the outer cylinarical periphery of the die and
template member l or should be inserted somewhat into the
26 interior of this overall cylindrical contour. In other words,
2278 the positioning members 4 should not project from the surface of
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~23~
l the member l. Guide members 4 are provided with internal bores
2 into which indexing pins or threaded bolts 6 can be inserted.
3 Members 4 and 3 are, in a sense, part of the die template
4 assembly. A particular metallic fitting 7 is now placed on such
an indexing pin 6 and is clamped to the surface of the die and
6 template member l by means of a nut 8. A cover 7a is provided
7 between the surface of this metallic insert and fitting 7 and the
8 screw 8, the surface particularly facing away from the die member
9 l. This cover is to prevent precipitation of electrolytic
material upon that particular portion which in this case is the
11 small side of the trapezoidal contour of the fitting member 7.
12 Insert 7 is elongated, but requires for fastening just one
13 cylindrical mounting and positioning member 4.
14
The surface portion of fitting 7 facing and abutting the
16 die member of l is matched in curvature to the die member l in an
17 optimizing fashion so that during the subsequent electrolytic
18 process penetration of electrolytic fluid into any gap between
19 parts l and 7 is avoided. Contour matching here simply prevents
a formation of such a gap.
21
22 The surface of the die member l itself is provided with
23 an electrically conductive layer or coating such that positive
24 contact will be established to the metallic insert and fitting
members 7. It may be of advantage to provide this electrically
26 conductive layer upon the part l just prior to assembly so that
28 upon insertion of the supplemental fitting member 7 the
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2 electrical contact with the conductive layer just made is
established immediately.
4 lt can thus be seen that in this manner any suitable
number of supplemental members and elements can be attached to
6 the central die member l. The thus prepared die with
7 supplemental assembly is now inserted into an electrolytic liquid
8 and is electrically connected through the electrolysis system
9 such that the member l (i.e. its electrically conductive coating)
and all parts electrically connected to it (such as 2 and 7)
111 serve as a cathode. As a consequence of the now ensuing
121 electrolytic process, metal precipitates upon the surface of the
13 ¦ member 1 which in effect causes an inherent inclusion of the
14 ¦ fitting 7 into the resulting metal layer 9. Due to the high
15 ¦ electrical conductivity which a wave guide must possess, it is
16 ¦ suggested to use copper as the precipitating metal from which the
17 ¦ wave guides will then be made. Iihe metallic insert and fitting 7
18 ¦ is preferably made of brass because that particular kind of
¦ material is particularly suitable for milling and cuttiny
20 ¦ operations. However, as far as the method of the invention is
22 concerned, this restriction is not to be understood as a
23 I mandatory requirement. One can use other materials, provided
24 that their electrical conductivity is sufficiently high. The
indexing pins in bolt 6 as well as the fastening screw and nut 8
are preferably made of high grade steel, preferably stainless
226 steel should be employed.
28
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l ~23183~
1 After the electrolytic process has proceeded to a
2 sufficient degree, that means after the layer 9 has obtained the
3 desired thickness, the part is removed from the electrolytic
4 bath. Now, the nuts 8 as well as the indexing pins or bolts 6
are removed so that the die 1 can in fact be removed from the
6 hollow and galvanically or electrolytically manufactured
7 products. one will obtain in this manner a tubular member which
8 includes in exactly reproducible locations and under exactly the
9 same angle guide members 10 for the insertion of short-circuiting
and trimming pins or bolts and the like whereby particularly the
12 guide 10 for these trimming and adjusting pins are galvanically
1 inserted in the product. Such mounting elements 10 are composed
13 essentially of the initial members 7 as now embedded in
14 electrolytically precipitated material 9. These elements 10 will
then receive in a conventional manner the requisite inae~ing and
16 trimming pins and bolts, etc. are to be the operative elements
17 that project into the wave guides. These elements in turn will
18 be fixed and secured to these guides and fittings 10 by means of
19 soldering.
21 After having described the invention in principle and on
22 the basis of a fairly simple die and template configuration,
23 reference is now made to a more complex configuration. Figure 3
24 illustrates a die and template member which is comprised of three
parts la, lb and lc. Herein, the central la is preferably made
26 of a cylindrical configuration whereas the parts lb and lc are
27 both of rectangular cross section. The parts lb and lc are
28
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~z~L~3n
2 releasably connected to the part 13. For this indexing pins 11
are centrally inserted in the central and middle part la and as
3 was described ear]ier they are secured thereto through threaded
4 insertions. The indexing pins 11 extend from the axial front end
of the middle part la and are inserted in corfespondingly
6 matching bores 12 of the part lc. A threaded bolt is run through
8 the part lc and threaded into a threading 14 provided in and near
the front end surface of the middle part la. The free end of the
9 bolt i3 now receives a metallic fitting 15 which is placed
thereupon and which is to be galvanically inserted in the wall of
21 the part to be made through the electrolytic process. Clamping
13 I of the parts la and lc together is carried out through a nut 16.
14 ¦ The parts la and lb are interconnected in similar
15 ¦ fashion. The indexing pins 11 here are provided in the front end
16 ¦ of the part lb and extend therefrom for being received in fitting
17 ¦ bores 12 which are worked into the interior of the part la
18 ¦ through its cylindrical surface. The clamping connection of the
29 ¦ parts la and lb-to each other is carried out through a threaded
l pin 18a which runs through a radial bore in the middle part la.
2221 A metallic fitting 1-/ is stuck onto the end of the bolt 13a which
231 projects from the part la and this fitting 17 is clamped by means
l of a nut 18 to the cylindrical surface of the middle die and
241 template member la. The part lb itself can be analogously
25¦ clamped to the part la through a threaded nut which is not
27 illustrated.
28
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~23183~
1 The free ends of the part lb and lc receive flange disks
2 19 and lO respectively and by means of an electrically conductive
3 paste one will fill any space or cavlty between the disks l9 and
4 20 on the one hand the parts lb and lc on the other hand. This
way one will not encounter any difficulties in the electroplating
6 of the flange 19 and 20 into the assembly. Another metallic
7 member 21 may be fastened to the member la additionally and in
8 the same manner as was described with reference to Figure l and 2
9 for inserting it into the wall that is generated through the
electroplating process.
11
12 Prior to the electrolytic operation, the surfaces of the
13 part la, lb and lc are rendered electrically conductive whereby
14 the front ends of the parts lb and lc, i.e. the flange area and
zone is covered accordingly. Analogously, one will cover that
16 part of the cylindrical member la which faces away from the part
17 lc. In other words, the opposite end of the cylindrical member
18 la is covered so as to avoid a direct formation of an
electrolytic closure.
21 After the electrolytical process has been completed the
22 bolt 13c is released and the part lb is removed. Thereafter, one
23 will release the bolt 13 so that the middle part la can be
24 removed from the galvanically made wave quide. Finally, the
parts lc is removed laterally from the wave guide.
26
27 As a consequence of the foregoing procedure a hollow
28
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~Z3~330
1 ¦ member is made by galvanic and electrolytic process which has two
2 feed inputs formed by the parts that contoured around die members
3 lb and lc. moreover, these feeding inputs are exactly
4 transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical die member
5 la which of course is the axis of the cylindrical wave guide thus
6 made. The die parts lb and lc have preferably rectangular cross
7 section and as far as their axes are concerned, they are 90 out
8 of phase with respect to each other and with respect to their
9 fastening to the part la.
11 The metallic fittings 15, 17 and 21 and other parts that
12 may be provided in an analogous manner have been galvanically and
13 electrolytically inserted in the wall which has been made and
14 ¦ these parts of course, serve for receiving trimming disks or
15 ¦ pins, short-circuiting pins and etc. The front end of
16 ¦ cylindrical part la, opposite the part lc may be provided, for
17 ¦ example, with additional parts such as flared end ld which, for
18 ¦ example, serve for the formation of a feed horn or the like or of
19 ¦ a transition from a rectangular cross section to a round cross
201 section or vice versa as far as a wave guide is concerned.
211
22 1 The thus made wave guide element will now be provided
241 with short-circuiting pins, trimming bolts, and so forth in
l accordance with the electrical requirements by insertion intc the
25 ¦ metallic fittings 15, 17 and 21 which have been provided for that
26¦ purpose and these trimming disks and short-circuiting pins, etc.,
28 1 will then be soldered to the parts 15, 17 and possibly others.
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123~L133~)
l Turning now to Figure 4 this particular embodiment
2 illustrates an alternative way of fastening the aie and template
3 member lb to the member la in a different manner. In this case,
4 a threadeâ pin 13b is provided with a guide portion 12a which
runs through guide an fitting bores of the parts la ana lb which
6 are not illustrated further. The threaded pin 13b will then be
7 threaded into a part or threaded fitting which has been inserted
8 in the part lb. This is likewise not shown in figure 4 but is
9 quite analogous to the formation of a fitting sleeve that was
described with reference to Figure 1. The front end of part lb
11 which should be matched to the curvature of the cylindrical
~2 portion of member la which, of course, serves also the purpose of
13 providing a particular orientation. The parts la and lb are then
14 clamped together through the threaded nut 18.
16 The invention is not limited to the embodiments
17 described above but all changes and modifications thereof not
constituting departures from the spirit and scope of the
22 nv e n t io n a r e i n tend ed to be i n c l ud ed .
23
27
28
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